Improved explosive powder



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FREDERICK M. RUSCHHAUPT, OF NEW YORK, N-.-Y.

Letters Patent No. 79,010, dated Jane 16, 1868; antedated June 4, 1868.

e IMPROVED EXPLOSIVE POWDER.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnurcx M. Ruscnnnurr, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and improved Explosive Powder; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof. I

The nature'oflmy invention consists in the production of an exploding-powder, which will produce therequired efi'ect by percussion or proper friction, without usi'ngdangerous, poisonous,or corrosive substauces 'as fulminate of mercury, phosphorus, sulphur, as, &c., and which allows of'being handled andworked with during the preparation, transporting, or storing of it, without the slightest danger whatsoever.

The many substances which have hitherto been used'for percussion or friction-powders, are either ofa dangerous, explosive, and poisonous nature, or they are highly corrosive and liable to decomposition, or com posed of expensive materials, &c., Ste. It .is therefore natural that objections have been and will be made against their general practical use. It will not be necessary for me to enter here into a detailed description of such substances, as also not to give detailed proofs about the mentioned objections against them, and their application for the purpose set forth. r

The public in general is fully aware of their great danger during handling, &c. Many terrible accidents,

more or less unprcventable, and not to be before seen, have occurred, and have writtc n the true character of these powders with glowing letters into the annals of daily life. But the danger combined with'the handling and use ofthese powders, is not only caused by an unpreventable explosion; their particularly poisonous character adds just as much to it, and is another reason'to be fearful, and, consequently, to do entirely away with them. Persons who have been engaged in preparing or mixing the ingredients of these powders, arecommonly, after a short time, afl'ected on their hands, noses, or eyes, &c., withsores"; they become injured on their lungs, and are lastly whplly poisoned; they die, or are ruined in health for lifetime.

Other explosives, being free of poisonousingredicnts, are nevertheless dangerous to be handled. They altogether will explode by a sudden rise or temperature, and a single spark of fire, however small it may be, will give rise to a most fearful detonation; They are otherwise of a more or lesscorrosive nature, so that the metals, particularly of the pistons on the pistols and guns, & c., with which they come into contact, will soon bc corroded, and a breaking will finally be the result of it. Some explosives being oflessdanger during handling,

and also of a less corrosit'e nature, as, for example, a mixture of chlorate of potassa and tannin, 860., bear a proportionally high price, and the ingredients of them are otherwise used for most important technical purposes. In regard of true economy, they are, therefore, to be .substituted by other suitable and less-important substances.

To-avoid all the before-mentioned objections, and to produce a. most economical compound, which will surely explode, and answer the purpose required by percussion or proper friction, is the object of my invention, which consists in the use of a mixture of chlorate of potassa, or any other similar oxidizing-agent, and naphthaline."

These mixtures are made in accordance with the laws of chemical afliuity and stoochiometry They detonate easy and sure, by percussion and proper friction, producing a most perfect combustion, accompanied with a light flame. They leave very little residue, and the gases thus produced are tree of injurious proper ti'es,'free of smoke, of an agreeable flavor, and consist of carbonicacid and water. They are not remarkably ali'ectcd by dampness, and in consequence of the constant constitution of their components, no decomposition can take place.

These mixtures will not explode by fire, or the clectric spark, &c.,' nor by sulphuric or any other acid which may come into contact with them.

The naphthaline of the compound Iwill'be ignited only; it will burn with smoke,just as will do alone, not

being in admixture, and the fire thus produced can easily be extinguished, without any danger whatsoever.

The naphtbaline can be boughtin any quantity for a very'low price, from two to five cents per pound. It

has as yet not found any other practical use, and experiments which have been made with it, to produce colors from it, which might substitute thosemanufactured from aniline, have not only proved to be unsuccessful, but to be of no value atall.

In using this substanee, of which the coal and wood-tars contain so abundant quantities, (and which lis always obtained in the respective manufactures as a secondary product,) for .the production of an explosive compound, I make a most economical as well as useful application of it, which otherwise has proved to be only a burden for the respective manufacturers. I

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe the moclas operandi.

I take about seventy-five parts of well-powdered pure chlorate of potassa, and twenty-five parts of naphthaiine, previously purified, by pressing and sublimation, of all tar-oils, pulverize it, and mix both on a smooth sheet of paper with a wooden knife. I

In order to prevent the mixture from dusting, and to inakeit fit for adhering in the caps, cartridges,- $60., I add-then from four to five per cent. of acompound. varnish to it, consisting of a fluid solution of gum-shellac in alcohol, and Damar in turpentine. Three-fifths of the first and two-fifths of the laftter will be suitable pro portion. The powder dries in a short time, and is then ready to be filled in the caps, cartridges, 8:12., in the common way! In some respects it may be well to substitute a part of the chlorate of'potassn, by an equivalent amount of saltpctre or another'similar oxidizing-agent, or to mix from three to seven per cent..0f powdered prussiate of potassa with it. Thus theprice can be reduced. But it must hereby not be forgotten that the residue after combustion will be somewhat increased.

Having now fully deseribedmy invention, I wish it distinctly understood that I do not claim the alreadydescrihed and used fulminates, nor do I claim the use of chlorate of potassa or any other oxidizing-agent; but

What I claim for me as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The use of naphthaline, in a manner as described, and for the purpose set forth.

FREDERICK M. RUSGHHAUPT.

Witnesses:

B. BABBITT, R. H. DIxEY. 

